What's life like for a single older expat in isaan?

[Hummin]

3 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

That's what you do if you want to live in Issan and actually enjoy it.  Nice home with infinity pool, good internet, android box to access basically anything on TV. 

 

I've got kids also.   Time flies with a functional family and a nice abode. 

 

Stock up on food from Makro, Villa Mkt, Topps,  etc. 

 

In the end though I'd prefer being close to a city and beach,  Isssn can be tough to live.

Thats why I only built what is necessary for status q and comfort, and make plan for my years past 70. It is to hot to stay in Isan year around, and the older I get, I can see myself at a balcony with seaview 10 floors up or more. 

[youreavinalaff]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Give me food choices over culture diversity anytime. 

 

 

 

Then Isaan is for you. A plethora of food choices available. A lot cheaper than the tourist spots and, in most cases, better.

[hotandsticky]

23 hours ago, puchooay said:

Such a good basis you got his name wrong.????????????????.

 

His name was Norby. I knew him when he was in Surin.

"Norbert"?

[hotandsticky]

On 4/22/2023 at 9:07 PM, RedArmy said:

Ain't read any of this thread, but spent a month in Issan last May - Bored outa my nut - Seriously considered opening up a Zimmer Frame shop - No beach & full of super old timers on their last legs who still think they are Gods gift to woman - The most boring month of my life.

 

 

No beach?

 

Who would have thought it?........

[MrJ2U]

53 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Thats why I only built what is necessary for status q and comfort, and make plan for my years past 70. It is to hot to stay in Isan year around, and the older I get, I can see myself at a balcony with seaview 10 floors up or more. 

You're totally right. 

 

Already planning on leaving in a few years.   Taking care of a pool, large house and gardens is way too much. 

 

Wife loves it up here so she can keep it for visits but I'll be joining you for the 10th floor Seaview for martini's. 

[MrJ2U]

56 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Then Isaan is for you. A plethora of food choices available

Oh please. 

 

I live in Sakon Nakhon, the heart of Issan.   The food selection and quality is abysmal.

 

Unless you live on Korat, udon Thani, or Khon Kaen you'll be hard-pressed to find that "plethora" of food you talk about. 

 

 

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

6 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Oh please. 

 

I live in Sakon Nakhon, the heart of Issan.   The food selection and quality is abysmal.

 

Unless you live on Korat, udon Thani, or Khon Kaen you'll be hard-pressed to find that "plethora" of food you talk about. 

 

 

 

 

Sakon Nakhon is hardly the heart of Isaan. It's right up in the North East of the region.

 

Isaan food is great.

 

You didn't say what food you are looking for. I guess Western Food. In which case you can add Surin, Sissaket, Nong Khai, Ubon, Buriram, Roiet, Kalasin, Mukdahan to your list.

Edited April 24, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[EVENKEEL]

4 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Oh please. 

 

I live in Sakon Nakhon, the heart of Issan.   The food selection and quality is abysmal.

 

Unless you live on Korat, udon Thani, or Khon Kaen you'll be hard-pressed to find that "plethora" of food you talk about. 

 

 

 

 

I left SK 6 yrs ago. packed up the clothes and MB in my truck and left. Apple Restaurant had some decent foreigner food and the Green Corner had AC.

[MrJ2U]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

Sakon Nakhon is hardly the heart of Isaan. It's right up in the North East of the region.

 

You didn't say what food you are looking for. I guess Western Food. In which case you can add Surin, Sissaket, Nong Khai, Ubon, Buriram, Roiet, Kalasin, Mukdahan to your list.

Nonsense. 

 

You sound like some hipster than spent a weekend passing through on your way to some yoga retreat in Chiang Mai. 

 

Issan food can only be described as diarrhea inducing. 

 

There's not much choice because the poverty is such that markets don't carry high quality products, meats, and produce because 95% that live in Issan cannot afford it. 

 

If you actually lived in Issan you would know that.

 

 

[bignok]

10 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Sakon Nakhon is hardly the heart of Isaan. It's right up in the North East of the region.

 

You didn't say what food you are looking for. I guess Western Food. In which case you can add Surin, Sissaket, Nong Khai, Ubon, Buriram, Roiet, Kalasin, Mukdahan to your list.

Nong Khai has steak restaurants on river with international beers.

[LaosLover]

If you live in beautiful nature, that's the attraction, not dining, not nightlife.

 

Having just left living in the Blue Ridge Mountains -I know, I know, personal story; what gets into me?- I had to drive 40 minutes to a little town with a cafe, a McDonalds, and a Walmart. 

 

I moved there from Manhattan. When I first got there, I asked where we go to eat. She said, "the kitchen". Previously, the only think I kept in a refrigerator was vodka and Sri Racha sauce.

 

It's absurd to keep claiming that these empty places have a lot of restaurant choices. Without tourist money, Fuji Sushi at my mall doesn't need to make up that many tuna rolls on the average day. Nor does there need to be a 2nd Fuji Sushi outlet in a non-farang town.

[bignok]

4 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Nonsense. 

 

You sound like some hipster than spent a weekend passing through on your way to some yoga retreat in Chiang Mai. 

 

Issan food can only be described as diarrhea inducing. 

 

There's not much choice because the poverty is such that markets don't carry high quality products, meats, and produce because 95% that live in Issan cannot afford it. 

 

If you actually lived in Issan you would know that.

 

 

Vietnamese food in all riverside towns.

[MrJ2U]

4 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I left SK 6 yrs ago. packed up the clothes and MB in my truck and left. Apple Restaurant had some decent foreigner food and the Green Corner had AC.

Thanks!!

 

I'll have to try the Apple restaurant!   Unfortunately it is 200 kilometers drive round trip. I'm on the border of Bueng Kan.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

8 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Nonsense. 

 

You sound like some hipster than spent a weekend passing through on your way to some yoga retreat in Chiang Mai. 

 

Issan food can only be described as diarrhea inducing. 

 

There's not much choice because the poverty is such that markets don't carry high quality products, meats, and produce because 95% that live in Issan cannot afford it. 

 

If you actually lived in Issan you would know that.

 

 

5555. That's funny and far from reality.

 

I've lived in Isaan since 1998. Seen alot of changes. Food choices being one of them. Increase in locals having money another.

 

The pork and chicken in the local wet markets is good quality and affordable to most. That's why I go shopping before 7 am. If much later all sold out. 

 

 Admittedly, there is an initial shock to the system. I put it down to the fact the pork is so fresh the blood content is high. In UK pigs will be hung for a week. In Thailand they are on the slab within hours. Doesn't take long to toughen your stomach up.

Edited April 24, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[MrJ2U]

2 minutes ago, bignok said:

Nong Khai has steak restaurants on river with international beers.

Udon Thani has tons of choices. 

 

I'm still a 200 kilometers round-trip to the steakhouse or Udon Thani unfortunately. 

 

 

In Pattaya now.   Going to get some fresh seafood!

 

Pizza last night!

[youreavinalaff]

4 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

It's absurd to keep claiming that these empty places have a lot of restaurant choices. Without tourist money, Fuji Sushi at my mall doesn't need to make up that many tuna rolls on the average day. Nor does there need to be a 2nd Fuji Sushi outlet in a non-farang town.

Then I cordially invite you to Buriram. We'll go out for dinner every night to a different place. It's going to take a while. Hope you have time on your hands.

[bignok]

1 minute ago, youreavinalaff said:

Then I cordially invite you to Buriram. We'll go out for dinner every night to a different place. It's going to take a while. Hope you have time on your hands.

You making me want to go there.

[youreavinalaff]

6 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Udon Thani has tons of choices. 

 

I'm still a 200 kilometers round-trip to the steakhouse or Udon Thani unfortunately. 

 

 

In Pattaya now.   Going to get some fresh seafood!

 

Pizza last night!

Fresh seafood is one advantage of being in Pattaya. Can't think of many others. ????????

 

Pizza? I make my own. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[Hummin]

3 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Then I cordially invite you to Buriram. We'll go out for dinner every night to a different place. It's going to take a while. Hope you have time on your hands.

I have not been to Buriram only drive through, but it is becoming the biggest city with a great mix of influence from the whole world. Both expats and new rich Thais. 

[MrJ2U]

3 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

5555. That's funny and far from reality.

 

I've lived in Isaan since 1998. Seen alot of changes. Food choices being one of them. Increase in locals having money another.

 

The pork in the local wet markets is good quality and affordable to most. That's why I go shopping before 7 am. If much later all sold out. 

 

 Admittedly, there is an initial shock to the system. I put it down to the fact the pork is so fresh the blood content is high. In UK pigs will be hung for a week. In Thailand they are on the slab within hours. Doesn't take long to toughen your stomach up.

Where in Issan. 

 

Undoubtedly there are good markets but not one close to me unfortunately. 

 

Udon Thani and khon Kaen are excellent choices to live for food choices. 

 

Getting up at 7:00 am to scour wetmarkets for the day's meal just doesn't sound like a satisfying lifestyle unless you're into that. 

 

Even the usually high quality Topps Sakon Nakhon is usually lacking in choice and forget about descent steaks. 

 

 

 

 

[MrJ2U]

5 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Then I cordially invite you to Buriram. We'll go out for dinner every night to a different place. It's going to take a while. Hope you have time on your hands.

Funny. 

 

I was there when news came that they we're opening up a Big C!   Long time ago. 

 

Burriram has definitely come a long way. 

 

I think it's just my particular location.   It's like the middle of nowhere and anywhere is usually a 3 hours drive. 

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

8 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Where in Issan. 

 

Undoubtedly there are good markets but not one close to me unfortunately. 

 

Udon Thani and khon Kaen are excellent choices to live for food choices. 

 

Getting up at 7:00 am to scour wetmarkets for the day's meal just doesn't sound like a satisfying lifestyle unless you're into that. 

 

Even the usually high quality Topps Sakon Nakhon is usually lacking in choice and forget about descent steaks. 

 

 

 

 

When I first moved to Buriram choices were limited. I tried my own things to get a "taste of home". I remember making salted pork to replicate bacon. Most of it guess work as we didn't gave "Google" in those days.

 

Since the birth of the internet I've become more adventurous. Making my own tomato sauce for pizza, buying a vacuum packer to pack and age beef, setting up a crude version of a smoker, making real bacon, sausages, Indian curries and tortilla.....the list goes on. It's great to be able to do this with "Google" as my friend.

Edited April 24, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[MrJ2U]

7 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Pizza? I make my own

I've done that. Hard work!

 

By the time I got the ingredients it was Cheaper to just have them airlifted here from Italy. 

 

[LaosLover]

I can't believe people are mis-naming Nobby. Oh, well.

 

Been to Buriram, had a nice 2 day-time, but the food is in the colorful, folkloric realm of a Mark Weins video, or a stolid pub serving up a steak. Restaurant economics argue against specialty options and upscale Japanese options in a place without a sizable cohort of affluent, educated people.

 

Buriram can't measure up to Bangkok any more than Cincinnati can compete with New York. They don't have the demographic who can and will spend for 5*.  So it's not there. You can get a lovely piece of tilapia right out the pond, but you can not get cheffy treatment of that fish.

 

We spent 6K baht on a pre fixe meal for 2 of tricked up Lanna food in Bangkok (great, but a one and done). That's not possible in Buriram.

 

In my Appalachian homeland (excuse me for living), they make a big deal out of how nice the BBQ is -because BBQ is low-grade swill that a monkey could fall out of a tree and make.

 

Even the so-called expensive restaurants in the Blue Ridge Mountains serving upscale southern food like corn bread in a little iron frying pan are subpar compared to having the same food in a tourist Mecca or a major city. Tourist and Yuppies = food scene. 

[MrJ2U]

36 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

When I first moved to Buriram choices were limited.

I have some fond memories from decades ago from there. 

 

It's turning into a dynamic city well worth a visit. 

[sidjameson]

46 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

I can't believe people are mis-naming Nobby. Oh, well.

 

Been to Buriram, had a nice 2 day-time, but the food is in the colorful, folkloric realm of a Mark Weins video, or a stolid pub serving up a steak. Restaurant economics argue against specialty options and upscale Japanese options in a place without a sizable cohort of affluent, educated people.

 

Buriram can't measure up to Bangkok any more than Cincinnati can compete with New York. They don't have the demographic who can and will spend for 5*.  So it's not there. You can get a lovely piece of tilapia right out the pond, but you can not get cheffy treatment of that fish.

 

We spent 6K baht on a pre fixe meal for 2 of tricked up Lanna food in Bangkok (great, but a one and done). That's not possible in Buriram.

 

In my Appalachian homeland (excuse me for living), they make a big deal out of how nice the BBQ is -because BBQ is low-grade swill that a monkey could fall out of a tree and make.

 

Even the so-called expensive restaurants in the Blue Ridge Mountains serving upscale southern food like corn bread in a little iron frying pan are subpar compared to having the same food in a tourist Mecca or a major city. Tourist and Yuppies = food scene. 

What's your BMI?

Don't say you don't know me.????

Edited April 24, 2023 by sidjameson

[LaosLover]

It's terrible.  But I have a trainer every day and do protein shakes. Down .8 kilo a month times 7.

 

In a main tourist area here, you have access is to high-end, high-concept vegetarian food (but prob not in Buriram). On soi 33, there are 6 such vegan/veg restaurants within 10 minutes of each other. In Chiang Mai, the same number within the same 10 minutes of my condo.

 

There's no place on earth better than Thailand where you can eat so healthily for so little. And I'll bet the produce in Issan is a letter grade better than in Bangkok.

 

-Loved your work in Carry On Nurse, Mr Jamison.

 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

5 hours ago, stereolab said:

Or you could buy an IPTV package, drive to the city and load up your freezer with Farang food, and return home. Thai internet is much faster than what I had in Scotland.

Still I don't understand why someone like the OP would want to live in the sticks, surrounded by farmland, doing what all day... 

[youreavinalaff]

51 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

It's terrible.  But I have a trainer every day and do protein shakes. Down .8 kilo a month times 7.

 

In a main tourist area here, you have access is to high-end, high-concept vegetarian food (but prob not in Buriram). On soi 33, there are 6 such vegan/veg restaurants within 10 minutes of each other. In Chiang Mai, the same number within the same 10 minutes of my condo.

 

There's no place on earth better than Thailand where you can eat so healthily for so little. And I'll bet the produce in Issan is a letter grade better than in Bangkok.

 

-Loved your work in Carry On Nurse, Mr Jamison.

 

 

Actually, "Ahan Jair" is extremely popular in Buriram. There are festivals every year and many stalls in the Walking Street market every night.

[3NUMBAS]

On 4/23/2023 at 1:33 AM, bignok said:

It is not very good. I wouldn't judge the whole region by one city.

udons good for a week or just 1 day ,not for too long or you will go doolally